Agroecology and Local Food Systems Technical Lead

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 24 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, our 8,300 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $100 million in programs, and approximately 1,800 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

1. Job Summary

Action Against Hunger is one of the Consortium members implementing the anticipated multi-year program entitled “Building Resilient Communities in Somalia III“ (or “BRCiS III“) that will run from July 1, 2023 until March 31, 2028 as part of FCDO’s Humanitarian Assistance and Resilience Building in Somalia (HARBS) business case. The objective of BRCiS III is that marginalised communities in disaster-prone, rural Somalia have sufficient social, financial, and environmental assets to better cope with shocks and stresses and adapt to the effects of climate change. This objective will be achieved through a set of multi-sectoral and system-level workstreams including Inclusive, Shock Responsive Leadership System; Ecosystem workstream and Economic diversification workstream.

This position will work 50% of the time in support of the Building Resilient Communities in Somalia (BRCiS) Consortium

Purpose:

The purpose of this position being managed in partnership between Action Against Hunger and the BRCiS CMU is to promote inclusive and innovative agro-ecological production and consumption, with a focus on climate-smart approaches, natural resource management and social behaviour change that will eventually contribute to strengthening the resilience of people and systems; and improve nutrition, especially among women and children.

Engagement:

Agroecology and Local food systems specialists will engage with the BRCiS members and their Downstream to provide practical technical guidance.

Delivery:

Provide technical guidance to BRCiS Members and their Downstream in the implementation of BRCiS III strategy on the achievement of Agro-ecological Production and consumption, support in Adaptive Programme Management and Learning, and contribute to Action Against Hunger’s Global Goals and country strategy.

1. Essential Job Duties

Quality Standards

• Lead BRCiS Members and Downstream partners through the development of minimum standards for activities under the assigned Output including discussion facilitation, technical leadership/advice, preparation of formal guidance documentation (including for publication), and revision of guidance over time.
• Ensure that programme quality standards are sufficiently harmonized to allow effective project management and measurement, while remaining flexible enough for contextualization based on geography, access/operational factors, communities’ positionality on the Resilience Spectrum, etc.
• Collaborate with the BRCiS CMU and BRCiS Member focal points for downstream implementing partner capacity strengthening, identifying and addressing opportunities for cross-consortium capacity strengthening related to the assigned Output.
• Provide leadership in the development of technical guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures on agro-ecology approaches in relation to nutrition-sensitive food production.
• In close collaboration with other workstream co-leads and CMU, harmonize approaches and strategies for ecosystem restoration and conservation.
• Carry out regular field-based monitoring of activities, including travel to insecure environments.
• Proactively identify and document best practices, lessons learnt and relevant human-interest stories for publication and dissemination.
• Promote social behaviour change and gender transformation approaches within the BRCIS consortium and within the workstream led by Action Against Hunger.

Adaptive Programme Management and Learning

• Oversee the development and implementation of the Workstream-level adaptive management workplan and overall BRCiS Learning Strategy including management of learning consultancies, outcome harvesting exercises, activity pilots, and/or other activities resourced by the Workstream, in consultation with BRCiS CMU Programme Manager and the BRCiS CMU MEAL Manager.
• Lead regular meetings (including and especially in accessible field locations) to oversee the adaptive learning implementation at field level and lead knowledge and experience sharing across the Consortium members.
• Participate in national, regional, and global technical fora to remain up-to-date on technical developments and best practices and proactively identify external innovations for consideration by the Workstream.
• Collaborate with the Project Improvement Advisor (hired by IRC, 50% seconded to BRCiS III) and BRCiS CMU on the establishment, measurement, and application for programme management use of Output-level Value for Money indicators as part of the overall BRCiS III Value for Money Framework.
• Represent the BRCiS III project in presentations of adaptive management findings (research, reports, best practice guidelines, etc.) to external stakeholders including BRCiS III donor representatives, peer implementers, and national, regional, and global communities of practice.
• In any other ways requested by the BRCiS CMU, support the overall design, adaptation, and delivery of the BRCiS III Learning Strategy and the BRCiS III Influencing Strategy for all aspects related to the assigned Output and Workstream.

Contribute to Action Against Global Goals and Hunger country strategy.

• Provide technical advice and support to the FSL&R department to ensure that projects are designed and implemented in accordance with industry best practices and standards.
• Develop and implement strategies and action plans for improving resilience in Action Against Hunger program areas.
• Provide technical leadership on the rollout of Seeds of Hope and the initiative to promote local food production in Somalia
• Provide technical support to the FSL&R department in project design: technical review of internal and external reports and proposal development for funding.
• Provide advice and support Participatory Resilience Analysis and Measurement (PRAM) methodologies, project implementation and measurement.
• Develop and implement a nutrition-sensitive measurement framework and promote nutrition-security policies and strategies.
• Facilitate the identification and capitalization of innovation and research opportunities together with the FSL&R team.
• Train relevant staff on food production processes and consumption of nutritious diet.
• Develop an agenda and multisectoral intervention package specific to the problem of chronic malnutrition.
• Support the development of community and individual practices of value for malnutrition.
• Empower staff and communities to identify the causes of malnutrition and identify the most at-risk to find standard solutions.
• Support the Head of food security, livelihood, and resilience in positioning the FSL&R department.

III. Supervisory Responsibilities

• No supervisory responsibilities for the position.

IV. Fiscal Responsibility

N/A

V. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with interruptions.
• To travel to the field, the employee must attest to a level of physical fitness capable of enduring physically difficult, highly stressful situations which may include the necessity to walk long distances, to eat a limited diet and/or to reside in potentially uncomfortable housing or tents.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

VI. Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required by contact with the missions, mission security, or other obligations.
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business travel as well as to the missions if appropriate. While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well is to infectious diseases.

VII. Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse

• Foster an environment that reinforces values of people of all genders equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where people of all genders must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
• Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.

VIII. Required Qualifications

IX. Required Skills & Experience

• A minimum of 5 years in humanitarian/development aid in complex and/or insecure environments, preferably in East/Horn of Africa and including significant field-based experience with relevant technical approaches to project work stream
• Master’s degree in agroecosystem, natural resource management, Climate resilience, and agricultural economics or any other agriculture and climate related discipline.
• Technical knowledge of climate change adaptation strategies, production systems and socio-economic issues
• Demonstrable experience with resilience programming and/or measurement, past experience with adaptive programming is essential
• Excellent report and proposal writing skills in English language, including synthesis and elaboration of qualitative and quantitative inputs/data
• Excellent English language communication skills – negotiation, networking, influencing, public speaking and facilitating workshops at different levels.
• Ability to work closely with field based national staff and experience in various staff training and development approaches.
• Strong planning, monitoring and organizational skills with good knowledge of the use of logical and result-based monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Knowledge of the context of Somalia
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts, multi-country disaster preparedness, response, and recovery programming.
• Experience with coordination in a humanitarian context (i.e., consortium coordination, cluster coordination)
• A positive, solution-oriented attitude to working within a diverse team is essential.
• Hands-on approach to key tasks; delegation skills are important, but not the default. This position will directly handle many key tasks that cannot be delegated.
• Commitment to continuous learning and willingness to keep abreast of new developments in the disaster management field.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.